Dumb question about January

[BensWife]

is it at all warm enough to swim? Yes, that is a pretty dumb question but we are from Colorado so swimming in January is laughable. Just wondering if it ever gets warm enough to swim. Do they even have the pools open?

 

[sharonped]

We're from Colorado too! Answer: it depends. We've been a few times in January as it's our anniversary. Three times it was freezing (including our honeymoon). Like, had to buy hats and gloves and blankets cold. This last time my boys swam - them and a boy from France were the only ones in the pool and the lifeguard was bundled up in a winter coat. The water was steaming because it was so cold, but they were bound and determined to swim. One of our January trips it was warm enough to swim. Bring your suits and see...

 

[mom2rtk]

Pools are open and heated.

 

[PSUGuy]

We were there once in Jan., New Year's day to the 10th in 2005 and that stretch had the best weather we had in WDW up to that time, half the days in the mid 70s, the other half in the mid 80s. Apparently that was a bit of a fluke, you could get that or you might need hats and mittens.

Bill From PA

 

[mom2cgj]

Pools will be open, and are heated. Whether it's warm enough depends on 1) the year 2) where you are from. When we went in 2013, we thought it was great for swimming (we are from Iowa). Other people were walking around in sweatshirts and jeans. We are used to it being below 0 in January, so it was summer weather for us!

 

[amomma23]

Pools are open and heated year round. Warm enough to swim depends on the swimmer.

 

[happymommy]

It can totally depend!
I've been there in December when it's been nice during the day (capri's, not shorts weather really) and my kids swam. I've been there when the high is 50 degrees F during the day, and in the 30's overnight, so we needed jackets, even once a winter coat.
I'd say to plan for anything, then check the weather forecast the week before you go. You'll definitely need at least a light jacket for evenings.
Like the others say, the pools are open & heated (not enough for me, though!). Many resorts have hot tubs as well.

 

[wdwrich]

The weather can vary. A couple of years ago for the WDW marathon in January, the heat and humidity was so oppressive they were telling runners to slow down and forget about trying for personal records. It was swimming weather to be sure. Another year when we visited in January, I went out running in the early morning and the temps were in the mid 20's.

 

[bumbershoot]

Pools are open and heated.

Pools are heated but are NOT always open. January this year there were some days of pools being closed. Too cold for anyone to be in them (the water you're in is warm but the air is not) and too cold for the lifeguards.

Even inside of a given (long) trip that month it can swing from 80s to below freezing and back.

 

[DaisyLou2]

We were there the first week in February and we swam. It was 70 degrees plus the pool was heated and having come from six feet of snow...IT WAS GLORIOUS!
Looking at our videos now it's so funny seeing the lifeguards wearing long pants and jackets. They were looking at us like we were crazy and one even said "You guys must be from the Northeast".

 

[mom2rtk]

Pools are heated but are NOT always open. January this year there were some days of pools being closed. Too cold for anyone to be in them (the water you're in is warm but the air is not) and too cold for the lifeguards.

Even inside of a given (long) trip that month it can swing from 80s to below freezing and back.

Interesting. We were there during the bitter cold snap in 2010 and the pools were still open. Maybe it's because they are now closed when the lifeguards are off duty and it used to be that you could swim at your own risk.